Communiqué of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 406th meeting on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR)

The Peace and Security of the African Union ( AU), at its 406 th meeting held on 13 November 2013, adopted the following decision on the situation in th e Central African Republic (CAR):

Council,

Takes note of the briefing given by the Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in the CA R , as well as the statements made by the representatives of the General Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), member countries of the United Nations Security Council (France, Rwanda, United Kingdom and United States), the United Nations Secretariat and the European Union (EU) ;

Recalls its earlier communiqués and press statements on the situation in the CAR, in particular communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.2 ( CCCLXXXV), aopted at its 385 th meeting held on 19 July 2013, by which Council decided to authorize the deployment, for an initial period of six months, of the African - led International Support Mission in the CAR (AFISM-CAR). Council also recalls the relevant communiqués of the ECCAS Summits on the situation in the CAR, especially the communiqué adopted at the end of theth ECCAS extraordinary session, held in Ndjamena, on 21 October 2013. In this regard, Council reiterates its appreciation to Presidents Idriss Deby Itno, Chair of ECCAS, and Denis Sassou Nguesso, Chair of the ECCAS Follow-up Committee on the situation in the CAR , as well as to the other leaders of the region, for their sustained efforts ;

Reiterates its concern about the serious situation prevailing in the CAR , especially the persistence of insecurity, continued abuses against the civilian population by elements of the ex-Seleka and the emergence of self-defense groups, as well as the precarious humanitarian situation. Council is particularly concerned about the communal and religious tensions and clashes. Council stresses the threat that the current situation poses to the very existence of the Central African State, as well as to regional security and stability;

Notes with satisfaction the outcome of the 3rd meeting of the International Contact Group on CAR (ICG-CAR), held in Bangui, on 8 November 2013, as contained in the Declaration adopted on that occasion, and stresses that the meeting was an important step for the mobilization of the international community to facilitate a coordinated and sustained action to address the situation in the country;

Stresses once again the responsibility of the transitional authorities in ensuring the protection of the civilian population, respect for human rights and the prosecution of all perpetrators of abuses against civilians and other acts of violence. Council calls up on the transitional authorities to take, without delay, all necessary measures to restore security, ensure the redeployment of the civilian administration and the control by the State of its sources of income, in accordance with the Declaration of the 3rd meeting of the ICG-CAR ;

Notes with satisfaction the adoption of the Constitutional Charter for the Transition, as well as the establishment o f the transitional institutions. Council also notes with satisfaction the adoption of the R oadmap for the transition and the Electoral Code. Council urges all stakeholders to work towards the completion of the transition within the 18-month period decided by the 4 h Extraordinary Summit of ECCAS, held in Ndjamena on 18 April 2013, stressing that the transitional authorities cannot participate in the elections intended to restore constitutional order in accordance with the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the Libre ville Agreement of January 2013, the relevant decisions of ECCAS, and the Constitutional Charter for the Transition ;

Welcomes the consultations held between the Commission and the ECCAS General Secretariat to finalize all aspects of the transition from the MICOPAX to AFISM-CAR, including the outcome of meetings held in Addis Ababa from 2 to 3 September and 7 to 10 October 2013, and in Libreville from 15 to 18 September 2013. Council notes with satisfaction that the transfer of authority between the two Missions will take effect on 19 December 2013, and calls up on the Commission to urgently take all necessary measures for a successful transfer of authority;

Expresses its gratitude to the AU bilateral and multilateral partners, namely the E U , France and the United States, which pledged support for the deployment and sustenance of AFISM - CAR.
Council calls on the Commission to intensify efforts for the early concretization of these offers of assistance . Council recalls communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.3 (CCCLXXV), adopted at its 375 th meeting held on 10 May 2013, requesting that consultations b e undertaken on the possibility for the contingent of the Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the LRA deployed in e astern CAR to contribute to the protection of the civilian population in its area of operation , and supporting the appeal of the CAR authorities for the French military contingent, deployed in Bangui, to contribute to securing the capital and its outskirts. Council encourages the Commission to work towards the establishment of an effective operational coordination between AFISM-CAR , on the one hand, the RCI-LRA contingent and the French t roops, on the other, and welcomes the proposed strengthening of th e French Force to better support AFISM-CAR ;

Welcomes the adoption by the UN Security Council, on 10 October 2013, of resolution 2121 (2013) and the subsequent dispatch to the CAR, from 27 October to 8 November 2013, of a Technical Assessment Mission, tasked notably to examine the possibility of UN support to AFISM-CAR. Council urges the Security Council, on the basis of the repo rt of t he Technical Assessment Mission , to quickly adopt a resolution endorsing and authorizing the deployment of AFISM-CAR and extending predictable, sustainable and flexible support to it , to enable it effectively fulfill its mandate ;

Calls upon all AU members States to contribute to the mobilization of the resources required for the successful deployment of AFISM-CAR. In this regard, Council requests the Chairperson of the Commission to initiate the necessary steps for this purpose;

Appeals to all Member States and international partners to provide the necessary support to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation facing the CAR ;

Calls up on all Member States to contribute, in a spirit of solidarity , to the Trust Fund agreed upon during the inaugural meeting of the ICG-CAR, held in Brazzaville on 3 May 2013;